


The Demonstration

by AauntyPasta



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Aftermath, Captive, F/M, Kama Sutra, Loss of Virginity, naked
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-04 21:05:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18820714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AauntyPasta/pseuds/AauntyPasta
Summary: Archer and a female security officer are returning from a demonstration of defense techniques when they are abducted by an unknown alien species that wants to learn more about humanity from a book they found on an abandoned colony about the Kama Sutra. They threaten to terminate Archer and the woman if they don’t comply. When they are finally released, can they deal with the aftermath?





	The Demonstration

________________________________________

Kiera Reilly woke slowly. Captain Jonathan Archer of the Starship Enterprise tried not to watch her too much as she woke and so sat with his back to her. He did glance over every now and then to make sure she was still breathing. When she finally moaned, he glanced over to find she had changed positions. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried not to let his curiosity-- or his libido-- get the better of him.

Kiera was about two inches shorter than his six foot height and, in uniform, looked like most everyone did in the starfleet uniform jumpsuits, a twelve-year-old boy dressed up for Halloween. Now however, she most definitely was NOT in uniform, but then, neither was he.

He’d woken about half an hour before to discover that he was completely unclothed-- and so was she. He had quickly discovered that his body responded without provocation any time he looked at her and he would instantly feel guilty for it. He had thus decided to keep his back to her, even as she woke up.

They had been on their way back from an inner planet of a nearby system where they had been invited to a defense technique demonstration. Enterprise was doing a survey in the outer part of the system of a planetoid similar in size and appearance to Pluto, but the sensors told them a different story. It might look like Pluto in size and visually, but the mass was way off.

The fifth planet of the system was class M, as they abbreviated the class to, and had the space-faring race that was interested in an exchange of ideas, one being the defense demonstration. Reed was concerned about a glitch in the targeting system and so had sent his subordinate, Lieutenant Kiera Reilly in his stead. Archer had been piloting the shuttlecraft when they were probed and knocked out. When he woke, he found himself in an empty room that he could not see the end of and both he and the lieutenant were completely unclothed.

She was more beautiful naked than she was clothed in the shapeless uniforms. She’d caught Archer’s eye as well as many men on board with her fiery Irish looks and temper. Her short red hair was a mess as always and her curves made him remember that he was a man as well as an officer. It was the officer part that was giving him trouble right now.

Archer jumped when she came fully awake and screamed as she realized the state she was in. “Shit!” she cursed in her thick Irish accent. “Where is my uniform?”

“Probably with mine,” Archer said over his shoulder. He chanced a glance over his shoulder to find that she was sitting up and had her knees pulled to her chest.

“Where are we?” she asked. “And why are we both naked?”

“If I had the answer to either question, then we wouldn't be here,” Archer snapped then instantly regretted it. “I’m sorry, I’m just frustrated.”

Kiera took a breath. “Have our captors showed themselves?” She asked as she looked around at the nothingness.

“Not yet,” he replied.

“Captain,” Kiera suddenly said before Archer could say or do anything else. There was a beep behind him and he turned to find that one of Starfleet’s universal translation devices had appeared halfway between them. “If you promise not to turn around,” she said. “I’ll get it.”

“Promise,” Archer replied. He heard the quiet movement of the woman as she moved to grab the device. Then he felt the heat from her body as she sat behind him, her back to him.

“It says, ‘we are curious,’” Kiera read from the device.

“Curious about what?” Archer responded. At his hip a hard-copy of a book appeared. The pages flipped of their own accord until they reached the front cover. Both humans looked at it. ‘The Americanized Kama Sutra,’ it read.

“Oh my…,” Kiera left the end of the phrase unsaid as she covered her mouth. “Where do you suppose they found this?”

The translator beeped and Kiera read it. “Abandoned colony.”

“What do they want from us?”

The UT beeped and she looked down. “Demonstration,” she read. She gasped and glanced over her shoulder at the captain he hung his head.

“What happens if we refuse?” Archer asked.

Kiera looked down at the device. “Termination,” she read. “New subjects.”

Archer groaned. “If I understand you correctly,” he said to whomever was holding them and obviously observing. “If we do not give you a demonstration of the acts in this book, you will kill us and find someone who WILL give you your demonstration.”

||Yes.|| came the answer through the translator.

“Lieutenant,” Archer began. “I can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

“I know,” she said then swallowed. “But there’s something you should know either way.”

“Are you homosexual or asexual or something?”

“No, I’m het,” she replied. “I just…” she fell silent.

“Just what?”

“At thirty-something, I’ve never...,” she hesitated.

||Never what?|| the translator asked.

“Oh,” Archer said suddenly. “That.”

||What?”||

Kiera held the device so Archer could read the message from their unknown captors. “Let’s just say that she hasn’t done anything that is in that book,” he said as he tapped the item in question.

||No time like the present.||

“You don’t understand,” Archer said. “A first time for this act in our culture is very highly regarded. It is supposed to be something special.”

||What does she need to make it special?||

“Privacy for one,” Kiera said as she pulled her knees to her chest once again. Archer could tell she was upset at the prospect of ending that particular drought at this time and in this place. “A partner that I am in love with for another.”

||We cannot offer you this.|| the translator read. ||What is there that we can offer.||

“How about comfort?” Archer put in. “Pillows, cushions, maybe some blankets to cover after for warmth.”

||We can provide.||

“You mean you are actually considering this?” Kiera asked as she looked over her shoulder at his back.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe. You?”

She let her mouth open and close. “How much do you think they want from us?”

The translator beeped and she held the device up so they could both read it. ||Everything.||

“No,” they said together.

||Then we will terminate and find others from your ship.||

“Wait,” Archer said and stood. “Wait…” he stopped as an electric shock coursed through his body and he screamed and fell to the floor.

“Stop, please!” Kiera yelled, her accent growing thicker with her panic. “Let us negotiate!”

Archer’s body stopped thrashing. ||Negotiate.||

Kiera moved to Archer’s side as he gasped for air. “You OK?” she asked him with a hand at his neck to feel his racing pulse. He nodded as the UT beeped again.

||NEGOTIATE!|| it said.

“We meant that we can’t do everything,” Kiera explained. “Not a resounding we won’t.” She took a breath and looked down at the captain. “I’m not experienced. And neither of us is flexible enough to do some of the things in there.” She held the translator over Archer’s chest as he began to regain the ability to move. “Here is what I propose. If the captain is in agreement...” He took a breath and looked up at her.

“What do you propose?” he asked hoarsely.

Kiera bit her lip. “Choose five acts in the book…” she suddenly held up one hand, her five fingers spread. “That’s five… acts. Whatever we all agree on, we will do. Five acts. No more, no less. We will let you know if we are not physically capable of doing the act you choose. If you don’t choose an act within a certain amount of time, we will.”

“Sounds agreeable to me,” Archer said softly with his eyes closed. He opened them and looked up at her but tried to keep his gaze restricted to her face. She seemed calm enough, covering her ample breasts as best as she could with one arm while holding the translator with the other hand, but he could tell she was on the verge of tears. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“No,” Kiera replied, voice cracking. “But considering the alternative…”

Archer coughed and slowly sat up, sitting back to back with her again. “I have a couple more stipulations.”

||Comfort.|| it said.

“Yes,” Archer said. “Comfort. But more.”

||What will you require?||

“Food,” Archer replied. “And water. The acts in this book require energy and food makes this in our bodies. Water lubricates our muscles.”

||We will provide.||

“Rest,” he went on. “We will also need a rest period after each act. They can be strenuous.”

||We will provide.||

Kiera turned and whispered to Archer and he looked back at her. “You’ve got a point,” he said quietly. He turned back to speak to the room at large. “Patience. We’ll also need patience.”

There was a long pause. ||What is this ‘patience?’||

It was Kiera who answered. “Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay without getting angry or upset. We need time before the act to become ready for it.” 

||We do not understand.||

“What? Did you swallow a dictionary?” Archer asked her then took over. “Men and women become ready for the act, known as aroused, in different amounts of time even when they start getting ready at the same time.”

||We still do not understand. But we will practice this patience.||

The light around them went dim and, when it came back up, a platform covered with soft cushions, pillows and some light blankets large enough to cover the platform appeared. A table next to the platform held a plate full of fruits like some that they had consumed on the planet. Two glasses and a pitcher of water sat next to the fruit.

||Consume. Then make choices. We await your decision.||

Archer turned to find the book on Kiera’s right. “Bring it,” he ordered then carefully got up. She picked it up and followed him to the hip-high platform before dropping it among the pillows.

Without looking at her, he took one of the blankets and handed it to her, taking the second one to wrap around his waist as she wrapped hers around her back, crossing it over her chest then around her neck to tie there. He looked back at her. “Not bad.”

She glanced up with a light smile. When she finished tying the blanket, she straightened the makeshift dress then looked to the food. She poured them each a glass of water then handed one to Archer who held it up in a silent toast and drank it down. They sat down on the platform and shared the plate of fruits as they skimmed the book. When they finished eating, the translator beeped.

||We have chosen your first act.|| The book started flipping pages and stopped at a page near the front, complete with pictures. ||We wish to see the missionary.||

Archer looked at her and she ducked her head and scrunched her shoulders. “Simple enough,” he said and she nodded.

They stood and turned to one another. “This is just…,” she began. “Awkward.”

“Agreed,” Archer said.

“OK,” Kiera breathed and reached up to the knot at her neck to try to untie it. When she began to get frustrated, he reached up to help. She dropped her hands to her sides and let him work the knot until it came loose and he let the makeshift garment fall to the floor.

Archer reached down to release the blanket hanging from his hips and let it join the other on the ground. He did not let his brown eyes leave her green ones.

“Are you ready?” she asked.

“Small talk sucks,” Archer said then he kissed her.

Kiera returned the kiss, but pulled away after a moment. “I can’t…”

“I know, awkward,” Archer told her.

“No, you're the captain, and this is… or would be…”

Archer sighed. “Against regulations.” He let his forehead rest against hers.

The translator beeped and he picked it up. ||Demonstration. NOW.||

“Sounds like their patience is wearing thin,” Archer said. He lifted her up on to the platform. “I know this is making you nervous for a lot of reasons.”

Kiera nodded. “But if we don’t they’ll kill us and take someone else from the ship and I don’t want that.”

Archer sighed. “Let me help make it easier,” he said. He pulled himself onto the platform and they got into position but he did not start anything just yet. “I’m going to tell you a story.”

Kiera smiled. “What kind of story?”

He stroked her shoulder and cleared his throat. “You and I are not captain and subordinate,” he began. “Instead, we are both captains. You are a starship captain like me but you are captain of…” he stopped to think a moment. “The Endeavour NX-02.” Kiera smiled as he slowly began running a hand down her body. “Your ship launched later then mine so we never had the chance to meet in person but we’ve kept in touch with each other. We have gotten to know each other pretty well over the com. Now, we finally got to meet when we just happened to be in the same system. I invited you over to Enterprise for dinner and we find ourselves attracted to one another. So we meet in my quarters for…” He stopped, unable to come up with a reason to invite the fictional Captain Reilly to his quarters.

“To meet your dog,” Kiera said. “I love dogs.”

“Porthos will be delighted to hear that,” Archer smiled down at her. “So I take you to meet my dog and we start getting romantic and we’re there on my bed…”

Kiera bit her lip as she felt his hand on her thigh. “I’m not sure this is doing much for me,” she said.

“Then you finish the story,” Archer suggested.

“I can’t because you’re about to…” she gasped as his fingers slid into the folds of flesh between her legs.

“You’re not wet enough,” he said into her lips. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Keep going with your story,” Kiera told him. “But don’t move your hand.”

Archer kept going, his voice low and sexy. “We undress each other very slowly and are very aroused. And then my hand is down there, moving around and making you VERY hot…” he ran a finger along her clit and she gasped again.

“Have I done this before?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied with a slight smile. “But never with anyone as good as me.”

“Big head…” She smiled back. “Wet enough?” she asked.

“Getting there,” Archer whispered as he kept stroking. “But in my fantasy, you are.”

“Are you inside of me?”

“Not yet,” he said. “I’m ready, but there’s something I have to do first.”

“What’s that?” Kiera gasped.

“I spread your legs and lift your hips and press my mouth between your legs to taste you… sucking here,” he added a little pressure to his strokes and she gasped. “Until you scream my name.”

“Captain?” Kiera queried.

Archer smiled. “Yes… Captain?”

“I think I’m ready now,” she told him, her voice shaking.

“I would have to agree,” Archer said as he took his hand away and slid his throbbing member into its place.

She arched her back with a silent scream. He held himself inside her until she relaxed a little bit before he began to thrust. He ran his hands into her short red hair and kissed her, deep, hard and glorious.

He pulled away when the sensations surrounding him intensified. Kiera began to gasp in time to his movement, gripping his shoulders and he moaned as he felt close to his peak. He tried to slow down his pace, but the damage was done and he cried out in frustration as he exploded inside her.

“No, no, no!” he cried in frustration and pounded a fist on one of the pillows.

“What did I do wrong?” Kiera gasped at her captain’s frustration.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” he said. “I did.”

“What?”

“At any time during all that did anything feel so intense that you might explode?”

“I felt like I was headed in that direction,” Kiera replied. “But no. What am I missing?”

Archer took a swift agonized breath. “An orgasm.”

“Oh,” Kiera said. “I don’t think it mattered. They just want a demonstration.”

“It was your first time and I blew it,” he told her.

“Is that really why you’re upset?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve read that it doesn’t necessarily happen the first time.” She took a deep breath. “Four left Captain. Let’s see what they want next.”

Archer sighed. When he picked up the UT, the message was already waiting. ||Rest. Will have questions when you wake.||

“It seems they want us to get some sleep,” Archer told her. He climbed down from the platform to retrieve the blankets. He spread one over her as she scooted over to make room for him next to her. He took a drink of the water then handed her a glass so she could do the same. He climbed back on the platform, covering himself with the other blanket, and got comfortable on his back next to her, his head on one of the pillows, as she rolled to her side facing away from him and closed her eyes.

Archer lay on his back and looked into the blackness above. He lay awake even though he could sense that Kiera had fallen asleep beside him. A beep from the translator brought his attention to the instrument and he picked it up again.

||Why do you not sleep?||

“I’m frustrated,” he said. “I wanted to make her first time memorable and she didn’t have an orgasm.”

||What is orgasm?||

Archer rolled his eyes. “At the end of the act,” he said softly, hoping they could hear, but that he didn’t wake Kiera. “One or both people have it. It is... “ He rubbed his forehead. “How do I explain this?” he asked himself. “The woman typically tenses then jerks and cries out. The man will… uh… release a fluid into the woman. This is how we procreate.”

||The life force is released into the woman?||

“Sort of,” Archer replied. “The fluid is the contribution of the male while the woman does not release her contribution, but carries it through… uh, meeting to the growth of a new being to birth, when a woman delivers to a whole new human being. Then, they raise it and it eventually does the same thing.”

||Then what is the manual for?||

Arched began to laugh quietly at just how humiliating and ridiculous the whole situation was only to be stopped by a case of the hiccups. “The act is enjoyable,” he said. “The manual is suggestions to help when it isn’t. But there are other components that help make the act special.”

||Like what?||

“Emotions,” Archer told them. “Something we like to call love can make or break the act.”

||That word was mentioned before. Love. Then you have been resistant because this emotion is not between you and the one you call Kiera.||

Archer sighed. “Can we answer the rest of these questions later? I think I’m ready to rest now.”

||Questions later. Rest now.||

“Thank you,” he said and closed his eyes.

________________________________________

“What do you mean the shuttle’s empty?” Commander ‘Trip’ Tucker exclaimed as he stuck his head in the small craft. “It can’t be empty. It rendezvoused with us. It docked with us. An unmanned shuttle cannot do all that.”

“It seems that this one did,” the crewman assigned to the shuttle bay said. “It came in on its own but when we opened the door, no captain.”

Trip looked around the inside of the shuttle. “Their bags are stowed,” the crewman went on. “But the captain and Lieutenant Rielly were not aboard.”

“Then what the hell happened to them?” Trip demanded.

“Somewhere between the defense demonstration and here they just disappeared.”

“T’Pol to shuttlebay,” came the Vulcan’s voice through the com. “Captain Archer is needed on the bridge.”

Trip stalked over to the com unit and hit the button to activate it. “This is Commander Tucker. I’m afraid that’s going to be a little tough to remedy. The shuttle was empty.”

“That is not possible,” T’Pol said.

“Yeah, I just went through all that with the crewman down here,” Trip told her. “All I am sure of is Captain Archer and Lieutenant Reilly were NOT aboard the shuttle when it docked with Enterprise.”

On the bridge, T’Pol stood from the captain’s chair and moved to the science station. The viewer slid out and turned on. T’Pol did a quick search of the area. Finding nothing, she shut the emitter down. “They are not on the ship, nor are they anywhere in sensor range,” she told Trip through the com.

“Then where the hell are they?!” Trip said.

“That would be the question,” T’Pol replied. “Wouldn’t it?”

________________________________________

When Kiera woke, she found herself on her back. Archer lay on his side, arm slung across her body to cling tightly to her hip.His other arm pillowed her head. “Talk about awkward,” she muttered softly as she contemplated the escape from his arms.

She stared into the nothingness above them as she slowly realized that her captain had an erection… and it was pressed into her hip. She winced at the realization and wondered just what he was dreaming that had caused it.

When she heard a beep from the translator, she looked and found it lay on the platform over her head and she reached out for it. 

||What is love?||

Kiera rolled her eyes and cursed softly. “The exact definition of love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person,” she replied quietly, trying not to wake Archer.

||Is this why you seem resistant to the act? You do not love Archer?||

“Love is a complicated thing,” Kiera told them. “There is romantic love and familial love and love between friends. Not all would… uh… perform the act as it would be… inappropriate.”

||Which kind would that be?||

She took a breath. “Familial,” she replied. “The genetics could be problematic in the case of procreation.” She took a breath trying to decide on her next words. “And friends might perform the act, but not if they wanted to stay friends since the emotions involved can change a friendship.”

||So procreation is not the only reason for the act.||

“No,” Arched replied. “Not always.”

Kiera looked at him. “Sorry if I woke you.”

“You didn’t,” he said. “Something else woke me.” He moved slightly, the movement reminding her of his arousal.

She looked down at the translator to read the new question.

||Then what are other reasons?||

“Enjoyment,” Archer answered. “It feels good and can be fun. Another reason would be to express love for the one you are performing the act with. Those times it is called making love.”

The device in her hand was silent. Finally, it beeped. ||We have chosen your second act. The cowgirl.||

The book over their heads flipped through pages before landing on one. Archer took the book and carefully picked it up without losing the page. The instructions and illustration made Kiera gasp in surprise.

“You’re on top,” Archer said. “You think you can handle that?”

She put her fingers to her forehead. “Do you?”

Archer gave her a look before taking a deep breath. “Agreed,” he said.

“Captain,” Kiera warned but the translator quickly beeped.

||We look forward.||

She let out a high pitched moan before looking up at him. He wore an expectant grin. “What comes next in your story?” she asked.

A few minutes later, they had shed their covers and Kiera was stretched out on top of him. He closed his eyes to think then opened them and looked into her expectant gaze. “Since you get to have control with this next act,” he began. “You get to be in control in our story.”

“How so?”

“Your mouth around my…”

“Really,” Kiera said.

“You take me in your mouth and…,” he stopped to smile. “Do the most wonderful things with your tongue.”

“Do you call my name?”

“Loudly,” he replied with a smile. “And more than once.”

Kiera pushed off to straddle him. He gasped at the full-on view of her naked body. “What exactly do I do to you?”

“Drive me crazy,” he replied and pulled her to him for a kiss full of longing.

When he released her, she sat back up and he helped her slide over him. His hands moved to her waist and held on as she moved. Her hands roamed over his chest exploring the dusting of hair as it tickled her fingertips. She moaned in time to the movements when suddenly he tried to slow her down. 

“No, no,” he begged. “Not yet. Not ye…” And he cried out as she felt him pulsing his climax inside her.

She sat with him buried in her for several seconds, shocked, then slid him from her body to lay at his side. “That was my fault,” she said. “I got a bit too eager.”

“Not your fault,” he replied. “My body just wants to react before I can tell it to. I don’t know why. Nobody’s fault.” He looked to the table to see that the food plate and water pitcher had been refilled. “Let’s have some food and get some rest before we skim the book for act 3.”

“OK,” she said quietly.

________________________________________

||The hound.||

No questions this time, just the simple suggestion.

“Are you going to send us back to our shuttle when we finish demonstrating these for you?” Archer asked.

||That was the arrangement.||

“Fully clothed I hope,” Kiera put in.

||Yes. The Hound?|| The book flipped to the corresponding page.

Archer looked to her and she gave a brief nod. “Agreed.”

Kiera was lounging wrapped in the blanket. “Does it seem like they increase in difficulty as we go along?”

“I noticed that,” Archer replied. “You ready?”

“The story continues?”

“If that is what you want,” Archer replied. She shed the blanket and lay on her belly, her shoulders and head supported by one of the cushions. Archer lay on her back between her legs, his erection stiff against her heat.

The translator beeped. ||Why the story?||

“To get her in the mood,” Archer said. “No more questions.” He lay on Kiera’s back, his hands on her hips and his chin on her shoulder so he could speak into her ear. “Since we have tasted each other… which I might like to try in reality some time… the next logical step would be to actually enter you. Now wouldn’t it, Captain?”

“It’s your story,” Kiera said. While he could not see her face, he could hear the smile in her voice.

“But that is not what we do,” he said. “At least, not yet. Instead…” He ran his hand to her breast and cupped it. “I take your breast into my mouth and suck your nipple before rolling it gently between my tongue and teeth.”

“Hmm,” Kiera moaned as her toes curled. “I take it I like this?”

“Very much,” he replied. “I suck and nibble one and then the other…” He began to stroke her nipple before twisting it between his fingers and she could feel it between her legs.

“Oh, Captain,” she moaned.

“Until you call out like that,” he went on then helped her to her knees. “I’ve got your back, Captain… so to speak.”

She came to her knees, lifting her upper torso and resting on her elbows on the pillow in front of her. He entered her quickly, but ground against her bottom slowly, feeling her respond. “This time, yes,” he stated as he moved in her. He pushed into her slowly, thrusting at the speed of her grunts and enjoying the feel of her warmth all around him.

She began to push back, but by the time he realized what she was doing, he rocketed past her and exploded inside her.

“Oh, Oh, Ah!” he said in frustration and she collapsed with a giggle.

“What is so funny?”

“Who would have thought,” Kiera said. “You. With the way you kiss. A premature ejaculator.”

“I don’t normally do that and I will remedy it next time,” he growled. “Even if it means I have to ask them to allow me a cold shower.” He lightly kissed her shoulder.

“I was close though,” she told him. “If you could have held off a couple more seconds…”

The translator beeped and they looked at it. ||Perhaps you should live the story you have been telling. We will give you extra time for rest, food and to live your story.||

________________________________________

“Anything?” Trip asked Hoshi. 

She shook her head. “Sorry, Trip. Not a thing.”

Trip growled and stalked from there to the other side of the bridge, then back. “Any theories?”

“I wouldn’t even know where to start,” Hoshi replied. “Wherever they are…” she shrugged and left her thought unsaid.

“I sure hope they’re all right,” Trip said.

“I spoke to the Treylan ministry,” Hoshi said. “I can try them again if you want, but they said they’d contact us if they found anything.”

“I know,” Trip said. “I’m just worried sick. What if whoever took ‘em never gives them back?”

“I’m sure we’ll see them again,” Hoshi said. “Let’s just concentrate on this survey. That planetoid that is like Pluto but not.”

“And maybe…,” Trip began with a sudden thought. He turned to Mayweather. “Take us in a little closer. We need to get a real good look at this little planetoid.”

Mayweather glanced back at T’Pol who nodded slightly. “Aye sir,” Mayweather said as he made the course change.

“What are you thinking?” T’Pol inquired.

“It’s like Pluto but not,” Trip said. “On the surface, Pluto. But the mass is off for its size.”

“You think that perhaps there is something inside?” T’Pol asked.

“Yeah,” Trip replied. “Like whoever took the captain and Kiera.”

The Vulcan looked skeptical but she knew that sometimes human hunches were correct. “Then by all means,” she said as she stood. “Let’s take a look.”

________________________________________

Archer paced, one of the blankets tied loosely around his waist as Kiera alternated between picking at the remaining fruit and flipping through the book looking at the different positions.

“You find a good one?” Archer asked in frustration as he paced.

“I’m just trying to keep busy,” she said. She’d tied the thin blanket around her body like she had before, creating the passable dress.

“It’s been hours,” he went on.

“At least,” Kiera replied.

“What are they waiting for?”

“Us to live the story you’ve been telling me.”

He looked back at her. “You really think so?”

“They’ve been pretty quick with us until now,” she replied. “Maybe they finally understand patience.”

“Maybe,” he said then stopped pacing and leaned against the platform. He fiddled with the fruit then poured a glass of water, downing it quickly.

After a few minutes of silence, he began pacing again. Kiera sighed. “You know,” she said. “If you want to get this show on the road… Maybe we should do as they suggested or…”

“Or what?”

She flipped through the book. “Choose the next one.”

“Something complicated,” Archer said as he came to her side to look in the book with her.

“But not too complicated,” Kiera agreed. “It’s got to be something we are capable of doing.” She flipped through until Archer stopped her.

“There’s an interesting one,” he said “Indrani. Do you think you can do that?”

“Maybe,” she nodded. “You think you can keep from getting frustrated if you beat me to the punch again?”

“I’m hoping that won’t happen,” he said. He turned and looked up. “We’ve made a choice for the next act,” he called out. “We would like to try the Indrani.”

“You know,” Kiera began, filling the silence. “I have a friend back on earth that has never had an orgasm. Turns out she’s unable to have one. The wiring doesn’t work, so to speak.”

“You think that’s what’s wrong here?”

“It’s certainly possible,” she replied. “Why are you so intent that my first time be memorable anyway?”

“Not just memorable,” Archer said as he began to pace again. “But memorable in a good way rather than a bad way.”

“Ah,” Kiera said with understanding. “Let me guess. Your first time was… less than pleasant.”

He gave her an annoyed look.

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

“My first time…” he began. “You’re right. My first time wasn’t pleasant.”

“No orgasm?”

“She had her pleasure then threw me out.”

Kiera hissed through her teeth. “That’s rough,” she said. 

“She was kind of a fantasy girl,” he said. “Not what I thought she was.”

“Maybe that’s kind of tainted things now,” Kiera said thoughtfully.

“How so?”

The talk about it being my first time made your subconscious remember yours and, well, that’s why the quick peak,” Kiera said.

“Maybe,” Archer replied softly.

“The worst part about my first time…”

He stopped pacing to look at her.

“Wasn’t that it was under threat of death,” she went on. “Or even that it was you. My commanding officer.”

“Then what was?”

She shrugged slightly. “I guess it would have to have been how disappointed you were that I didn’t…”

He moved to a place in front of her to look her in the eye. “Really?”

Kiera nodded. “I kind of feel like I let you down.”

Archer shook his head. “You didn’t let me down and now I understand that I didn’t let you down either.”

“Good,” Kiera said.

They let the silence descend over them as the minutes passed. Archer was about to go back to his pacing when the translator beeped. ||Agreed. Why do you not live your fantasy?||

Archer smiled at Kiera. “Because the reality is so much better,” he replied. Kiera blushed.

“Then what is the next chapter?” Kiera replied.

“Not until we’re ready to do the final act,” Archer said.

“What if I need help?”

Archer got up on the platform and threw aside his blanket. “Do you?”

She untied her blanket and let it drop, pooling around her. “I might.”

He gently pushed her back onto the bed on her back, knees bent, legs apart. He put a hand into her crotch and slid it through her clit. “Not enough,” he replied. “You tell a chapter.”

She bit her lip, thinking about what might come next. “You begin kissing me,” she started. “As you rub your hand through… there.” He slid his hand through the area he knew she was talking about. “And since you are sure I am ready…” she tried not to giggle. “You slide into me and peak before you can do anything else…”

“Why… I’ll show you,” he said and lifted her feet to rest in his armpits with her knees bent before plunging in.

She cried out as she arched her back, almost pushing him away with her feet before reigning herself in and grabbing his hips to bring him deeper. He pushed deeper than he’d dared before and she cried out, “Oh fuck, Captain!”

He drew back and plunged in again then fell into a rhythm that made Kiera push back. With each thrust, she cried out and he found himself unable to control the pace, pressing into her wildly and gasping until he felt her contract around him.

“Oh Hell YEAH!” she cried out as she jerked. He kept thrusting, moving in an out and in and out until he felt like he would release inside her when she jerked again, causing the complete release of an orgasm like nothing he’d ever experienced before. He gasped and collapsed next to her on the platform, the sensations rippling through him long after he withdrew..

“Damn, Captain,” he said when he had finally caught his breath.

Kiera had her hands to her head, fingers running through her hair. “I’m guessing that was an orgasm.”

“That was more than an orgasm,” Archer replied. “That was an explosion of epic proportions.”

“Maybe we should have started with the hard stuff,” Kiera said as she released her hair and folded her hands on her belly.

When the translation device beeped, she picked it up and they looked at it.

||Congratulations on your orgasm.||

“Sounds like a greeting card,” Kiera said with a chuckle.

“Yeah,” Archer replied. “When you care to send the best.”

They laughed at each other before snuggling up for a nap.

________________________________________

T’Pol had her eyes to the scanner, watching the intensive scans on the planetoid below when she saw a blip and moved the sensor back. She might have smiled had she been human. Instead, she straightened. “Commander Tucker,” she said. “I have found two life signs.”

“Where?” Trip asked from his place across the bridge where he was using another set of scanners to search.

T’Pol sent her scan to the main viewscreen. “They are about twenty meters below the surface.”

Trip came to join her as Hoshi looked up. “Is there any way to get to them?” he asked.

“I saw a maze of large caverns not far from that point,” Hoshi put in. “Some are large enough to fly a shuttle into.”

“I could take a shuttle down and see if I can get anywhere close to them,” Tucker suggested.

“Take Lieutenant Reed with you,” T’Pol told him and the two men eagerly headed to the lift. “And be careful. We have no idea what they are doing to them.”

________________________________________

When Kiera woke, she lifted her head to find that she was draped over Archer’s sleeping form, snuggled up to him and feeling warm and safe. Part of her wanted to stay this way with him, but she knew that was impossible. She put her head back down on his chest feeling like she wanted to cry again, but this time, for different reasons.

The translator beeped loudly and insistently, waking Archer. ||Last act. You choose.||

Archer looked at Kiera, blinking the sleep from his eyes, before reaching for the book. He opened it to one particular page he had spied before and showed her with a kiss to her forehead. She nodded. He took a breath. “We choose this one.” He lay the book, opened to the page of their choice, on the platform above their heads and took her in his arms to wait for their answer. They didn’t have to wait long.

||Agreed.||

They simply lay for a minute more before Kiera sat up. Archer pushed himself from the platform to stand against the edge of it but stood facing away. Kiera slid up behind him, a leg at each of his hips and gently placed her hands on his back. He felt her lips press a light kiss against his back between his shoulder blades.

“Last act,” he said softly.

“Mmhm,” she hummed an affirmative by way of reply. “Let’s make it last.”

He turned and moved a couple of the pillows behind her so she could lean on them. She breathed, her breasts heaving toward him. He pulled her torso against him before claiming her mouth with his own. Kiera was hesitant at the unexpected move, but returned the contact with a fervor he hadn’t expected.

Kiera began to explore his chest with her hands as he pulled her close and deepened the kiss, tasting her with a desperation that surprised them both.

Finally, he pulled away. Their eyes met and he ran his fingers down her breasts to her belly then around her waist to pull her forward against him. She leaned back against the pillows and he pulled her legs to rest on his shoulders. With a deep breath, he slid quickly into her. She threw her head back with a moan as he began to move inside her.

As the feeling grew in his groin, he grunted and moved faster. She moaned loudly as the pleasure built up until she cried out, “Oh yes! Jonathan!”

He smiled at her having called him by his first name instead of his rank and pushed deeper into her. He could feel his excitement build and he gasped at the movement. “Oh, yes, oh yes!” he chanted before he felt her body respond then peak as she cried out. Seconds later, he released inside her with a cry of his own.

He clung to her, their bodies slick with sweat from their exertion as they gasped for air.

“That may not have been as intense as the last one,” Kiera began as she moved her legs from his shoulders and sat up with him between her thighs. He put her hands on his shoulders. “But it was certainly memorable.”

The last thing he was aware of before his world went dark, was her lips against his.

________________________________________

“There’s the cave opening,” Trip said as he pointed, then headed in.

“Trip, stop!” Reed said and Trip turned to find the captain had appeared on the floor behind him, Lieutenant Rielly next to him in the small space. “Head back to the ship!”

Trip did a sudden U-turn and headed back to the ship. “Shuttlecraft one to Enterprise,” he said through the com. “They’re here. We have them.”

“How is that possible?” Hoshi’s voice came through the radio. “You haven’t even landed.”

“They just appeared,” Malcolm said as he moved to check their status. “Here on the shuttle. They’re alive and seem to be breathing normally. But they are unconscious.”

“Have Phlox waiting for us outside the docking bay,” Trip told her.

“He’s been monitoring us,” Hoshi said. “He’s already there.” She paused. “Are they hurt?”

“From what I can tell,” Malcolm began as he ran a scanner from the shuttle’s medical kit over them. “No. Breathing is normal, heart rate slightly elevated, but no signs of injury.”

“Then why are they unconscious?” Hoshi asked.

“Maybe they’re drugged,” Trip suggested. “Whatever it is, Phlox will soon tell us. We’re docking now.”

T’Pol spoke up. “I’ll meet him in the medical bay,” she said.

________________________________________

Archer began to rouse on the way to the medical bay. “Captain,” Phlox said as he walked alongside the stretcher holding him. “You are on the ship.”

“The lieutenant?” he asked as he ran his hands up his own body to find that he was in his uniform. “Thank you,” he whispered to Phlox’s puzzlement.

“She’s here,” Phlox said. “She’s on the stretcher following.”

“Good,” Archer said then drifted off again.

When they reached the med bay, Phlox put Archer in the scanning tube first. As he waited for the scan to complete, he shooed Malcolm and Trip out of sickbay and T’Pol ordered them to the bridge.

“I will call as soon as they regain consciousness,” she told them.

It was just Phlox and T’Pol when Archer’s scan finished. “Some minor muscle damage,” he reported. “Possible electrocution. Likely inflicted around when they were taken as the healing process has begun.” He pressed a button and the door to the chamber opened, the bed the captain was on slid out. “According to the readings, there is no other damage. He’s been properly nourished and hydrated, nor does he shows signs of rest deprivation.” He turned to T’Pol. “He also does not show signs of any unusual bacteria. He does, however, show signs of recent exertion.”

“Exercise?” T’Pol asked.

“It is possible,” Phlox agreed. “Being held captive can be dull. He may have done exercise to pass the time.”

Minutes later, Archer was resting on a biobed behind the circle of curtains while Phlox began the scans of Lieutenant Rielly.

“She does not show the same signs of electrocution,” Phlox said. “But she does have signs of exertion. She’s fed and hydrated and rested as well.” He pushed a few buttons on the console. “She also has damage to… Oh, my.” He looked up at T’Pol. “I believe I know why they are both showing signs of exertion…”

T’Pol glanced at the readings then back up to Phlox. Although she tried to hide it, the surprise was evident.

“It seems the captain and lieutenant have been engaging in unauthorized activity,” T’Pol commented.

“I do not think the captain would do anything like that unless there was a reason behind it,” Phlox told her. “Especially while held captive.”

“I can not wait to hear it,” she replied.

________________________________________

Archer woke to find Phlox standing over him. “Phlox?” he asked as he looked around. When he looked down, he found that he was fully dressed and in the medical bay.

“How do you feel Captain?” Phlox asked.

“Fine,” Archer replied. Where is K… uh Lieutenant Reilly?”

He pointed to the other side of the medical bay. “She is fine,” Phlox replied. “Sleeping things off.” He turned back to Archer. “What do you remember?”

Archer looked at Phlox. An image of hot kisses and sweat coated bodies came to mind. “I’m not sure,” he said. “Injuries?”

Phlox ticked off what he had found on Archer. “Except for a couple of things,” Phlox began. “Lieutenant Rielly’s readings were much the same.”

“What things?”

“Well, she showed no signs of electrocution,” Phlox replied. “And she had a wound…” He fell silent.

“Phlox?”

“Her hymen is damaged,” Phlox told him.

Archer looked at him. “I’m not exactly sure I understand what you are saying.”

Phlox sighed. “At her last physical, the hymen showed no signs of having ever been damaged. Scarring or injury on this is a sign of… how do I put this delicately?”

Archer sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “No need,” he told the doctor. “I think I know what you’re getting at.”

“What happened?” Phlox asked.

Archer rubbed his eyes as he remembered that last few moments before the world went black. The last thing he remembered clearly were her lips on his. “The aliens were curious,” he said. “They found a book about the Kama Sutra and wanted a demonstration.”

“Oh, my,” Phlox said.

“They threatened to kill us and take other crew members until they got their demonstration,” Archer told him. 

“Is that when they electrocuted you?”

Archer nodded. “Yes,” he replied. “They wanted a demonstration of everything in the book, but the lieutenant was able to negotiate them down to five while I was incapacitated.” He stopped to take a breath. “They gave us food and water and a place to rest between each act. That’s what they called them, acts.” He looked up at the doctor. “You must have been close to finding us because it seemed like they were rushing us on the last one.”

“I’m not sure whether to ask if you enjoyed it or not,” Phlox said and Archer gave him a look.

“Is that all?” Archer asked.

“I don’t see any reason you shouldn’t be able to go back to your quarters,” Phlox told him. “Take it easy tonight and go back to your normal activity tomorrow.” He started to turn away but turned back. “T’Pol was here when I made the discovery. You may want to inform her as well.”

“I’ll do that,” Archer nodded. “Can I see the lieutenant before I go?”

Phlox nodded. “She’s still sleeping off whatever they gave you, but she’ll be fine and I don’t see why you can’t sit with her a few minutes.” He waved to where she slept. “When she wakes, I’ll allow her to return to her quarters for the night as well. I do not see why she cannot return to a regular duty shift tomorrow.” Phlox returned to his office.

Archer moved to a place next to the bed where she lay. He leaned down the whisper in her ear. “Hey Captain,” he whispered. “We made it home.”

“Of course we did,” she whispered back through the grogginess. “Did you have any doubt as to my negotiating skills?”

He laughed quietly. “At the time… maybe,” he replied. “But now I am sure you are a very good negotiator. We are after all, home.”

Kiera yawned and stretched. “Doc cut you loose?”

Archer nodded. “He’ll probably let you go once you’re fully awake.” He straightened. “And he knows.”

“You told him?”

“I kind of had to,” Archer told her. “It showed up on the scans.”

“What?”

He leaned in again. “There’s damage to your hymen.”

“Oh,” she said, then. “OOhh!”

“Yeah,” Archer said. “That was my response, too.”

“You think it’ll get out?” Kiera sat up.

“If we just say we don’t remember, Phlox will back us up,” he told her.

She nodded. “It won’t be easy to pretend,” she said. “Especially after that last act.”

Archer itched to reach out and touch her, but refrained from doing so. “I know.”

“I see you’re awake,” Phlox interrupted as he came around the curtain. Archer took a step back as Phlox went on. “I supposed the Captain has already told you that you are free to return to your quarters.” She nodded. “I suppose you don’t remember anything either.”

“Nope,” she said. “Not a thing.”

He shook his head. “Nothing we can do about that I’m afraid,” he said with a knowing smile. “You can go ahead back to your quarters. If you have any unusual symptoms, let me know.” He turned to Archer. “That goes for you as well.” They both nodded.

________________________________________

T’Pol stepped over the threshold into Archer’s office. “You wanted to see me, Captain?” The door slid closed behind her.

“Phlox says you were there when he was doing the exam on Lieutenant Rielly,” Archer began.

“I was,” T’Pol said.

“I’m guessing you want an explanation,” he went on.

“Four years ago I might have lectured you on holding your libido,” she said.

Archer snorted. “That’s true.”

“Today, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt,” she finished.

“Good,” Archer said. He took a breath before standing to pace in the small room. “The short version is, yeah, there was sexual contact between us.” When T’Pol didn’t say anything, he went on. “The aliens who took us had found a copy of an Earth book about the Kama Sutra. Do you know what that is?”

“The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian Hindu sanskrit text about sexuality, eroticism, and emotional fulfillment in life,” T’Pol replied. “In some Earth cultures, it is seen as an ancient sex manual, but there is much more to it than that.”

“That’s right,” Archer replied. “They were curious about it and wanted us to demonstrate the techniques. All of them.”

“There are two-hundred and forty five positions listed in the Kama Sutra,” T’Pol pointed out.

“That many?” Archer asked then whistled when T’Pol gave a brisk nod. “Wow. Uh, when we said we couldn’t do them all…”

“Very few humans could do them all,” T’Pol commented.

“They threatened to kill us if we didn’t and zapped me to prove they were serious,” Archer explained. “Lieutenant Reilly talked them down to five.”

“She must be a good negotiator,” T’Pol said. “Or they knew we would find you before many more than that could be demonstrated.”

“Maybe a little of both,” Archer said. “At any rate, we demonstrated five for them.”

“This seems awfully blase for you to do,” T’Pol remarked. “I was led to believe that such an event as the loss of virginity was something to be cherished.”

“I didn’t rape her if that’s what you’re getting at,” he told her. “They threatened to kill us and then abduct two others until they found someone willing to do their demonstration.”

“From what I know about the lieutenant,” T’Pol began, agreeing with him. “She would want to keep anyone else from that situation.”

“That is exactly what happened,” Archer said, then sat back down at his desk, but T’Pol wasn’t finished.

“Did you know?”

“She told me,” he replied. “So, yes. I almost backed out, but she was insistent.”

“To save you and perhaps others.”

Archer could only nod. “She is going to make a great starship captain someday.”

“Of that I have no doubt as well,” T’Pol replied. “But I’m sure you were able to make it special for her.” Archer gave her a look. “I know you, captain. I know that you would and will do right by her.”

Archer wasn’t quite sure what to make of T’Pol’s words. “Thank you,” he said then took a breath. “I got a request from Captain Hernandez.”

“What kind of request?”

“She wants Kiera to head her security department on Columbia,” Archer told her.

“Do you think the Lieutenant would be interested?”

“I hope so,” he replied. “It’s a great opportunity.”

“A very great opportunity,” T’Pol said. “But that would mean leaving Enterprise.”

“I know,” Archer said. “She was one of the first to come on board with Reed.”

“How do you feel about her possible departure?”

“I’m happy for her,” Archer said.

“What of your recent adventure?” T’Pol asked.

“What are you getting at?”

“I believe she might refuse the position because of it,” T’Pol said. “To see where things go.”

“Except they can only go nowhere if she stays here because I am her commanding officer,” Archer pointed out.

“I thought so,” T’Pol said and she turned to go.

“What are you talking about?”

“You have developed feelings for her,” T’Pol returned. “Whether they developed before this happened or they were triggered by it, they exist. Now you need to decide how to deal with it.”

Before Archer could formulate a response, she was gone.

________________________________________

“So you remember nothing?” Reed asked Kiera as she ate from a dessert cup full of apple sauce. She shook her head, no.

“You were gone for almost three days!” Trip exclaimed. “And you don’t have a scratch.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe they just wanted to take some really detailed scans.”

“Oh, please,” Reed said as Captain Archer came into the mess hall with a padd in his hand. He nodded to various crew as he crossed the room to where the three sat.

“Good morning, Trip, Malcolm,” he said as he acknowledged them. He turned to look at Kiera. “Lieutenant Rielly.”

She put the apple sauce down. “Is there something you need, captain?”

“Not me,” Archer replied. “I have a message for you. Captain Hernandez has requested you to head up her security team on Columbia.”

Reed and Trip smiled at her as Archer held the padd out to her. She took it and read the orders then looked up with a grin to find him smiling as well.

“Congratulations,” he said.

“Wow,” she said as she reread the orders. “I don’t even know what to say.” She looked back up at him. She saw the smile on his face, but also the uncertainty behind his eyes. It was the same uncertainty she was feeling.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Archer told her.

“I know,” she said. “But it means leaving Enterprise.” Her Celtic accent was getting thicker as it always did when she got emotional. 

“It’s not like you’ll never see any of us again,” Trip reminded her.

“Yeah,” Reed added. “We’ll keep in touch.”

She looked at the two officers then back to Archer. “How long did she give me to decide?”

“She gave you a week,” Archer replied. “But the message was received three days ago, so four more days.”

“I’ll have a message ready to send with my decision by then,” she said as she handed the padd back.

“I’ll be waiting,” Archer replied. He glanced to Trip and Malcolm before he left.

“You’re crazy if you don’t take that, you know,” Malcolm commented.

“I know,” Kiera said as she finished her apple sauce. “And I am really going to consider everything. And I mean everything.”

“Well, good for you,” Trip said. “Let us know your decision soon though. We’re gonna wanna have a going away shindig for ya.”

“I’ll let you know when I make my decision,” she told him as she stood. “I’ve got the early shift today so I’d better get going.”

________________________________________

Three days later, Kiera was doing her daily workout in the gym when Archer came in. She kept a steady gait on her treadmill as he started a run on the machine next to hers. After a minute of silent exercise, Kiera finally spoke.

“You probably want to know if I’m going to take the posting on Columbia,” she said as she ran.

“It would be nice,” Archer replied with a glance over to her.

“Yes,” she said.

“So you’re taking it?”

Kiera hit a button on her machine and it slowed down and stopped. “I’d be a fool not to,” she replied through heavy breathing.

“Congratulations,” Archer said as he stopped his own machine. “You’ll be missed around here.”

“You sure?”

“Of course,” he replied. “We’ll miss… uh, no, the temper’s annoying. But I’m sure we’ll miss… No, there are times we can’t understand you.” He paused as if considering. “Hey, there’s that cute little dimple on your… but I’m the only one that’s seen that.” He seemed to think as Kiera folded her arms across her chest. “OK, so maybe we won’t miss you.” He started his treadmill back up.

“Oh very funny,” Kiera said as she restarted her own machine. “In that case I won’t miss any of you either.” She sped up so she was going just faster than Archer so he sped his up until he was going just faster than her. They went back and forth like that until they were stopped by Malcolm and Trip.

“Well that is quite enough of that,” Malcolm said as he pushed the button to stop Kiera’s treadmill as Trip stopped Archer’s.

“What exactly started the game of one-up?” Trip asked.

“He started it,” Kiera said as she leaned on the rail of the machine, gasping for air.

“I seem to remember you being the one who started it by pushing the button,” Archer said as he leaned on the railing of his own machine.

“You said no one would miss me when I’m gone,” Kiera said with barely contained laughter. “You jerk.”

Trip smiled. “So you’re takin’ the promotion?”

Unable to speak, Kiera nodded.

“That’s wonderful!” Malcolm said. “When do you leave?”

“Don’t know yet,” she replied as she finally started catching her breath. “Just sent the message. Why?”

“We have to throw a going away party,” Trip said with a smile.

“I hate parties,” Kiera told them, her accent particularly cutting.

“Tough,” Trip said. “We’re givin’ you a party. Even if we have to give it before we know when you’re leaving.”

Kiera grabbed her towel and used it to wipe the sweat from her face. “I supposed I can’t stop you,” she said.

“Trip gives epic going away parties,” Archer put in.

Kiera looked over to the Commander and smiled. “Well, if that’s the case,” she said. “Then you gotta do what you’ve got to do.”

________________________________________

Archer followed Kiera from the mess hall. “OK,” she said through her laughter. “When you said epic, you meant it.”

“You’ve never been to one of Trip’s parties?”

“Bad timing,” she replied. “I always seem to have the duty shift.”

“That’s too bad,” he said.

“And they’re always no uniform?” 

“He’s pretty strict about that point,” Archer replied. “Civilian clothing only. No uniforms.”

They stepped on the lift. “Everybody looked nice though,” Kiera went on.

“And I didn’t know you had such eclectic taste in music,” Archer went on.

”I spent my childhood in Ireland where they have tin whistles and bodhran and my college years in Wyoming where they have guitar, fiddle, piano…” Kiera said.

“And San Francisco?”

“Everything else,” she replied with a smile.

The door to the lift opened to the quiet hall to her quarters and they stepped forward into the stillness. “I don’t think it was necessary for you to feed me that bite of your chocolate cake, though,” Kiera went on. “Even if it was delicious.”

“Carrot cake?” Archer said by way of a reply. “You were eating carrot cake.”

“I love carrot cake,” Kiera told him. “And chef makes such wonderful carrot cake.”

“Chef makes wonderful cake and pie and…”

“Cinnamon rolls,” Kiera put in as she stopped in front of her door.

“Cinnamon rolls,” he agreed.

She opened her door, then grabbed his hand and pulled him in with her.

His lips quickly found hers as the door slid closed behind them. It had been over a month since their return but the attraction and the need still existed between them. Kiera helped him out of his shirt then stepped back so he could slowly unfasten the buttons down the front of her blouse. He slid the garment down her shoulders, following with hot kisses along her collarbone.

Kiera slid her fingers across his chest then up to slide her hands around his neck. He dropped the shirt to the floor before moving to the closure to the bra she wore, releasing her breasts from their containment. She moaned as his mouth moved to her breast, sucking first one nipple then the other before gently biting and pulling one with his teeth.

“Damn, Jonathan,” she muttered. “What are you doing?”

“What I’ve wanted to do since we got back,” he replied.

“Our story?”

He nodded.

“That’s not where it started,” Kiera pointed out.

“Really,” Jonathan replied. “But we’re still wearing the bottom half of our clothing.”

“Let’s take care of that, then,” she replied as she roughly unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his slacks.

They shed the remainder of their clothing until they were as naked as they had been during their brief captivity. Kiera pushed him back and he fell to sit on her bed. She got to her knees to kiss him but he pulled her back up and onto the bed. “I’m first remember,” he said.

She sat back on the bed. “Be my guest,” she said.

Jonathan moved to a position on his knees between her legs. She leaned back against the wall to give him better access, but he slid up and kissed her deeply first. He moved his mouth down her body until he reached her crotch where she stopped him.

“This is my first time doing this remember,” she told him.

“I remember,” he said and returned to her lips for another kiss. He pulled up her knees so her feet rested on the mattress then spread her knees as far as they could go. Before she could say anything else, his tongue was running across her clit and she gasped.

He pressed his lips against the folds and swirled his tongue around until she moaned then pushed his fingers in until he had access to suck at her clit. Between his tongue and his fingers, he created trails of fire between her legs until she cried out with a jerk.

“Damn, Jonathan,” she said as he pulled away. “Give me a lot to live up to.” He smiled then kissed her breast before pulling her to her feet. “My turn?”

“Let’s go grab a shower before we do anything else,” he told her.

“I took one before the party,” she said as he pulled her to the bathroom.

“So did I,” he replied. “But it can get pretty sensual. Especially when the water’s good and hot.”

He was right. Just the act of sliding a soapy hand down her body was erotic. “Our captors don’t know what they missed,” she said as he ran a soapy sponge down her back.

“No they don’t,” Jonathan replied.

She turned her head for the kiss he offered. When they parted, she turned to pull him into the spray so he could rinse the remaining soap from his body. When she was sure all of the soap was rinsed away, she pushed him against the wall of the shower stall and kissed him. She pulled away and before he realized it, she was on her knees with his erection in her mouth.

He gasped and pressed the back of his head against the wall as she took as much of him into her mouth as she could. She sucked as she made her way back down his shaft. She swirled her tongue around until she found a sensitive spot that made him put his hand to the back of her head to run his fingers through her wet hair.

She ran her fingers over him, as if searching for something and when she found it, he gasped and almost lost his footing. He pressed his hands against the walls to steady himself as she ran her fingers across the spot while her tongue swirled around the tip. She traveled back up his shaft with her mouth, sucking and tickling as she went then back out and in, creating a rhythm with her suction and movement.

“I thought you said you’d never done this before,” he growled.

She took him out of her mouth but, to his delight, kept stroking with her hands. “I haven’t,” she replied as she slid a finger across the head, causing him to jerk. She looked up to meet his eyes as he looked down at her. “Research,” then her mouth was back on him.

Somehow, her research had told her exactly when to release him as he found his peak. He cried out as the creamy white matter erupted from him then streamed down her shoulder.

He helped her to her feet and pushed her under the shower to rinse the stickiness off. “Is that why you wanted to take a shower?” she asked as he used the soapy sponge to clean her once again.

“I didn’t exactly expect you to do that,” he told her as she rinsed. He kissed her. “I hope this doesn’t put you off doing it again… because you are very good at it.”

She laughed as he pulled her into an ambrace. “Next time let me know before it happens and we’ll do something that isn’t so messy,” she told him.

“It’s still messy,” he told her. “I don’t think you noticed before because I’m pretty sure they cleaned things up while we were asleep.”

Kiera rolled her eyes and turned the shower off. Drying each other off was enough to make him ready for her again but she sat him on her bed to straddle his lap. Hot kisses and wandering hands followed.

When he was fully stiff, she pulled back and slid him into her. “And no, I’m not going to peak before you do anything,” he said with a smile.

“I already know that,” she whispered in his ear. “Just enjoy me, OK?”

“My pleasure,” he said.

“Mine had better be in there somewhere too,” she returned then moaned as she began to move around him.

Breathing quickened and she ran her hands through his hair as he ran his lips along her neck. The heat they created between them ignited their desire and their movement began to speed up. Kiera gasped when he nipped at her breast. He moaned into her chest.

Gentle curses and intensifying pressure, made them clench each other until Kiera threw her head back and cursed before crying out. The throbbing of her orgasm pushed him over the edge where he cried out, shattering the silence as he came into her.

Heavy breathing filled the silence as Jonathan leaned against the wall behind her bed. Kiera sat still to catch her breath then leaned forward to give him a kiss before pushing off to pull him out of her. She stood looking at him then began to wander the room, still naked.

“You OK?” he asked as he pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the bed.

She nodded and he stood to cross the room to take her in his arms from behind. “I just feel like crying all of a sudden,” she said.

“You’ve been on Enterprise for the last four years,” he whispered before planting a light kiss on her shoulder. “I would expect anyone to get emotional.” He turned her to face him. “And then we go and do what we just did…”

She grumped. “I can’t believe I’m leaving tomorrow,” she said. “And we’re saying goodbye.”

“One hell of a goodbye,” he said as he leaned his head against hers.

“Yeah, well,” she said. “Anything less would not have conveyed my incredible esteem…”

He stopped her with his lips and they held the kiss for a lot longer than either meant to.

________________________________________

Two weeks later, Kiera sat on the bench of Jupiter station’s decon chamber as Captain Erika Hernandez spoke to her through the com from the other side of the glass. “Since your last physical was just over two months ago,” she was saying. “They shouldn’t have to do as thorough of one now.”

Kiera nodded. “What about the nausea I felt on the freighter?”

“Captain Henderson likes to keep the gravity on three quarters Earth normal,” she replied. “Some people have a little trouble with vertigo in a lower gravity environment. Most likely that was all it was.”

“Yeah, I got it,” Kiera replied. “When do we get to see the ship?”

The door to the chamber finally slid open and Dr. Andrea Baker stood in the doorway where Erika joined her. “Everything looks good, but you’re showing signs of fatigue so I want you to go get some rest. I’m going to want to do another physical tomorrow.” She held up a hand to stop the protest she knew was coming. “I know it’s been two months since your last one, but I want to be sure you’re still healthy. I’ve been told that you were taken prisoner and can’t remember anything, so I want to make sure there is no permanent damage.”

“Understood,” Kiera said as she pulled her uniform from a hanger and started to put it on.

“In the meantime,” Erika told her. “Let’s go get you some grub. You must be dying for some real food after two weeks of freighter rations.”

“Oh yeah, I’m starving,” Kiera said.

________________________________________

“Message from Starfleet,” Hoshi told Archer. He looked up from his chair. “It’s Captain Hernandez.”

“I’ll take it in my ready room,” Archer said and headed to his private office off the bridge.

Once there, he sat at his desk and activated the com. “Erika,” he said with a smile. “I take it your new security officer arrived on time.”

“Yes, she did,” Erika said. “But I’m afraid things aren’t going to work out. She’s taking some time off to decide her next move.”

“What happened?” Archer returned. “Her Irish temper get on your nerves?”

The woman shook her head. “No, we got along fine,” came the answer. “She would be fitting in great if it weren’t for the results of her physical.”

“Did she bring something back?”

“Uh,” Erika began. “You could say that. She asked me to transmit something to you. It’s coming with this message.” Archer looked down and saw that the transmission was waiting. “I really wish things had worked out. I’m hoping that she’ll be able to join us for the next tour in two years… that is unless she changes her mind about Starfleet.”

“I hope she doesn’t,” Archer said. “She’s going to make a terrific Captain someday.”

“I thought that myself, even before she told me a few things,” Erika replied. “Check out her transmission. You’ll understand more then.”

Archer nodded. “Thanks for the call,” he said before breaking the connection. He pulled up the message from Kiera on his screen as the door chimed. “Come in,” he called and the door opened to reveal Trip.

“So what did Hernandez say?” Tripasked. “She want to send Rielly back already?”

“It was a little mysterious,” Archer replied. “She said that Kiera was unable to take the position on Columbia because of something she brought back.”

“What?” Trip asked.

“Don’t know,” Archer replied. “She sent Kiera’s message with her contact. I was just going to open it.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“She didn’t say anything about it being a secret,” Archer answered. “Have a seat.”

Trip pulled a chair forward as Archer opened the communication. It was a scan taken that morning. In the left corner, was Kiera’s name and rank. In the right corner, the words, ‘Gest: Seven weeks’ were printed. Both men leaned in to examine the tiny creature in the center of the screen. It looked like a shrimp or a sea monkey but then the image zoomed and Trip realized what it was.

“Oh my God,” Trip said slowly.

Archer squinted, not understanding what he was looking at. “What is it?”

“It’s what she brought back with her,” Trip replied. “An embryo.”

“An emb…” Archer began then looked at the screen again. Seven weeks… His mouth fell open.

“Are you sure you don’t remember what happened when you two were being held captive?” Trip asked him. “That would put it at about seven weeks ago.”

Archer debated what to tell his friend. In the end, he told him everything.

Trip leaned back in shock. “You couldn’t tell me all this seven weeks ago when it happened?”

“This isn’t the kind of thing you exactly know how to discuss,” he said.

“Was it in your report to starfleet?”

“I was vague with it,” Archer replied. “But, yeah.”

“So you can tell a bunch of starfleet brass, but you couldn’t tell me,” Trip groused. “And what about Kiera. She’s… Hell, I can’t even say it.”

“She’s pregnant, Trip,” Archer said. “I wish to hell I could be there with her as she’s going through this.”

Suddenly, Trip stopped. “I think I know why you never said anything.” Archer lifted her face to look him in the eye. “You’re in love with her.”

“So what if I am?”

“If you are,” Trip went on. “You’ll do what they used to say a couple of centuries ago. You’ll make an honest woman out of her.”

“How am I supposed to do that with her on Earth and me here?”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way,” Trip told him and he stood to leave but not before Archer stopped him.

“Don’t say anything about this to anyone,” he said. “I think we should keep it quiet for now.”

“Sure,” Trip told him. “My lips are sealed.” He left Archer alone with the scan record as it played on repeat. It was then that Archer noticed the note in the lower right corner.

‘Gender: Female,’ it said.

________________________________________

Five months later

 

Jonathan Archer knocked on the door to the large house and waited for it to open. Seconds later, a small woman opened it. “Aye friend or foe?” she asked with her heavy Irish accent.

“Friend,” Archer told her.

“Then come in friend,” she said with a wave of her hand. “I’m Nana May. And who might you be?”

“Captain…” he began.

“Jonathan Archer,” she finished for him with a smile. “I thought you’d be comin’ but dina expect you until next month.”

“Enterprise had a bit of trouble out there a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “We came back a little early for an upgrade.”

“Good, good,” she said. “Who’s yer friend?”

Archer glanced down at the beagle at his feet. “That would be Porthos,” he said.

“I hope he gets along with Fritzie,” she said with a smile.

“Fritzie?”

“Kiera’s Scotchie,” Nany May told him. “She loves the heck out of that dog.” She gestured to the hall behind her. “I’m guessin’ that you’re here to see my Kiera.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he replied.

“She’s out by the creek,” she said, then a disgusted look came to her face. “With Wyatt.”

“Wyatt?”

“Young man from town,” May told him as she led him through the house. “Took a shine to Kiera when she came home and won’t leave her alone.” The old woman snorted. “I told her to give him a good kick in the shins but she won’t do it.” She stopped him in the door to the kitchen. “You’ll give him a good swift kick if he doesn’t leave won’t you?”

“I think I’ll just have to ask nicely,” Archer told her.

She growled in annoyance as she turned to lead him to the back door. As they reached it, a tall man in a nice suit came in.

“Another rejection?” May asked.

“What else?” he replied as he leaned on the counter. “I’ll convince her someday. That baby needs a father.”

“That baby has a father,” May told him. “Wyatt, meet Captain Archer.”

Wyatt stood up straight. “Ah,” he said as he looked Archer over. Since his visit was not business, he’d worn civilian clothing rather than his uniform. “Captain. It’s an honor to meet you.” He snorted. “I always suspected she wasn’t exactly telling the truth when she said you were him. I guess I was wrong.”

“Yes, you were,” Archer replied.

The man watched him for a moment before nodding and sweeping past him. They heard the door slam behind him.

“That is not a happy man,” Archer said.

May giggled. “Thank you, thank you,” she said with a sigh then pointed through the back door and past the porch. “Jest head straight out past the barn and the garage, down the slope and to the creek. Kiera likes to go down by the creek to do Yoga and a little nature bathing. She’s there with Fritzie now.”

“Thank you May,” Archer said then gave her a peck on the cheek. “Come on Porthos.”

________________________________________

After Wyatt stormed off, Kiera sat on her blanket trying to find some calm. This spot had always been a refuge for her. She’d studied there when she was in college and she came here when she got the spot on Enterprise. Now, she brought Fritzie here to do yoga. She stroked her belly as she tried to find her calm. The baby suddenly began to kick, hard, disrupting her.

She stood and paced. “Now Leprechaun,” she said as she walked from one end of the blanket to the other before stopping to look out over the stream and through the trees as they framed Heart Mountain in the distance. “Your papa will be here in another month. We’ll actually be on the same planet. In another month.” She sighed as Fritzie suddenly stood, looking behind Kiera, her tail wagging wildly. She paid no attention to the dog as she spoke to her baby. “And what a long month it will be, my little Leprechaun.”

Kiera looked down to find that Fritzie was playing joyfully with… a beagle? “Porthos?” She made a sudden realization and stood up straight. She stood silent, her hand on her belly for a good long time.

“Aren’t you going to turn around?”

Kiera turned her head slightly then looked back out to the mountain in front of her. “No,” she replied.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m afraid it’s a dream and I’ll wake up and…” she couldn’t go on.

A moment passed and he stepped in front of her, his hands in his pockets. She took a deep breath as she tried not to cry.

He looked down at her belly before placing his hands on it to feel the baby, and Kiera moved his hand to where he could feel their daughter move through the thin cloth of the dress she wore.

“Wow, Captain,” he said then he took her face in her hands and kissed her.

Kiera ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and let the kiss deepen. She was breathless when he finally pulled away. After a moment with his forehead against hers, he pulled back to look at her.

“Leprechaun?” he said. “You call our daughter leprechaun?”

She giggled and kissed him again.


End file.
